Wringer



June 30, 1942. F. BRIECKENRIDGE 2,287,967

WRINGER Filed May 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR v ATTRNEY June 30, 1942. v F. BRECKENRmGE 2,287,967

WRINGER Filed May 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 30, 1942 WRINGER Frank Breckenridge, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,163

Claims.

My invention relates to washing machine wringers and more particularly to an automatic tilting drainboard and guard mechanism operatively associated with the lower wringer roll thereof.

With the wringers now known that utilize a guard member or clothes-feeding device, it has been customary, in some instances, to have such member or device removably attached to the wringer frame. With such a removable structure, it has been necessary to move the device from side to side, depending upon which side an operator desires to use in feeding clothes into the wringer. It has likewise been necessary to remove such guard from the wringer when the operator desires to insert therein a large or heavy load, such as a quilt or the like. In addition, with those wringers having drainboards operatively associated with the lower or power roll, such drainboards have usually been located within the wringer frame in such a manner that they function primarily as a drainboard only. With those drainboards not associated with the lower or power roll it is necessary that the operator check the position of the drain before operating the wringer and to manually reverse the position of such drain upon reversing the direction of operation of the wringer.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a combination automatic tilting guard member, clothes feeder and drainboard which will permit the operator to insert any desired thickness of clothes between the wringer rolls while at the same time functioning as a guard and drainboard, and which will automatically tilt or change its position with the reversal of the direction of rotation of the rolls and function the same on either side of the wringer.

A further object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive, rugged unitary member which may be attached to the lower wringer roll to function as a combination guard member, feeding device and drainboard and be adapted to change its position with the reversing of rotation of the wringer rolls.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic locking means which will positively hold the combination device in the correct operating position during the wringing operations, and which will permit the device to reverse its position with the reversed rotation of the wringer rolls.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a delayed reversing action of the combination device which will permit the water to drain out of the trough portion of the device before the reversing action of the device takes place.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic locking device for the combination device which will prevent the turning moment produced by the weight of heavy clothes, or the like, as they pass through the wringer, from rotating the combination device.

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a device embodying my invention, or will be apparent from such description.

Referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a wringer embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation and fragmentary view of the combination clothes feederand collector, guard and water drain device showing its relationship with the lower wringer roll in an arbitrary neutral position;

Fig. 5 is a partial top view of one end of the wringer with the top cover and upper roll removed, showing the combination device and lower roll in an arbitrary neutral position;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line V'll-VI. of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of device embodying my invention;

Fig. 8 is a partial elevational and sectional view of a. locking device embodying my invention;

Fig. 9 is a view taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are side and end elevational views, respectively, of the locking member embodying my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I show a wringer l0, having a. frame It, transmission housings l8, lower and upper wringer rolls 66 and 68, respectively, a, combination clothes feeder and collector, guard, and water drain device 48 operatively associated with lower roll 66, and a locking device 5| operatively associated with the lower wringer roll 66 and combination device 48 to delay the reversal and to prevent any backward rotation of the combination device due to the weight of clothes or the like.

The combination device 48 is herein shown as a part of a wringer more clearly described in my copending' application, Serial No. 288,311, filed August 4, 1939. However, it is to be understood that the combination device hereinafter described may bea separate entity which may be used on any desired wringer as well as on the one shown and described.

The combination deflector or drain, guard member, and clothes feeder and collector 48 comprises an upper elongated inwardly sloping hollow dished member 512 and a lower troughshaped member 514 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The upper inwardly sloped dished member 512 has an outwardly and upwardly extending ear portion 516 at both ends integral therewith and has an inwardly disposed fianged portion 518 along the lower longitudinal edge thereof to facilitate the cooperation of the upper member cooperate with a split sleeve bearing 584 to support the device 48 upon the lower wringer roll 66. The lower trough-shaped member 514 is located about the bottom portion of the lower wringer roll 66 with the upper hollow dished member 512 placed upon the lower member and along-side of the lower roll, while the collar portions 582 thereof are associated with the slotted or split sleeve bearings 584.

As the top member 512 is placed upon the lower member 514, the inwardly flanged portions 618 of the top member 512 slides or fits within the upper edge of the lower member 514, forming a uniform functionally integral structure therewith. The collars 582, integral with the upper member 512, are at the same time positioned upon the split sleeve bearings 584. A plurality of bots 586 are then inserted through the ,collar portions 582 of the upper and lower members 512 and 514, respectively, and are held together by means of nuts 588 (see Figs. 4 and 6). If desired, a resilient member 590 may be located between the head of the bolt 586 and the collar 582. As the nuts 588 are tightened upon the bolts 586, the resilient member 598 is compressed drawing the top member 512 into engagement with the bottom one. The collars 582 are thus tightened against the split sleeve bearings 584, causing the sleeve bearings to be drawn snugly against the wringer roll shaft I86.

With such an assembly of the device 48, in which the sleeve bearings are tightened upon the roll shaft I86 by the pressure supplied by the collars 582, it is apparent that, as the roll shaft I86 rotates in either direction, the device 48 will be rotated in the same direction. Then as the direction of rotation of the wringer roll is reversed, the combination device 48 will be rotated in the opposite direction. As the combination device rotates with and about the lower wringer roll 66 as an axis, the ears 516 contact a portion of the wringer frame l4, say at 638, as shown in Fig. 6 so as to limit the amount of rotation by the device 48. However, due to the relatively loose fit between the split sleeve bearing 584 and the shaft I86, the limitation of rotation of device 48 will not retard the rotation of the lower wringer roll 66. When the roll 66 and shaft I86 are rotated in a reverse direction, the combination device 48 will rotate with the shaft tact of the two rolls of the wringer.

I86 until it is again'stopped in rotation by contact with the wringer frame l4.

It is, therefore, obvious that the functionally integral combination device 48 comprising a guard member portion, clothes feeder and chute,

and tilting drain-board portion, will automati-.

cally change its position from side to side depending upon the rotation of the wringer rolls, and, accordingly will always assume the correct operating position without any attention from the operator.

With the combination device 48 located in the position shown in Fig. 3, the right side of the device is substantially raised in contrast to the opposite side, which is substantially lowered. The right longitudinal edge or portion 592 of the top member 512, as shown in Fig. 3 is raised and is substantially in line with the line of con- In contrast with the raised right-hand edge, the left longitudinal edge or the portion 594 of the top member 512, located on the opposite side of the rolls, is lowered or substantially in line with'the central portion of the drain shields 58. With the combination device 48 located in such a manner, and the lower wringer roll rotated in a counterclockwise direction, clothes are fed from the right side of the wringer as shown by the arrow A in Fig. 3, resting upon one of the drain shields 50.

With the portion 592 raised in such a manner, the inwardly extending top surface of the portion 582 may function as a clothes feeding chute. The clothes may be dropped over or placed upon the top of the raised portion 592 of the combination device 48, permitting such clothes to slide down the top surface 596 thereof as a feeding device. The clothes will thus encounter the lower wringer roll which will convey them through the wringer.

As the clothes are forced through the wringer rolls, by the rotation of such rolls, the inwardly sloping top surface 598 of the portion 594, being in a lowered or substantially horizontal position, functions as a clothes collector.

In other words, the clothes being forced through the wringer rolls will drop down upon the surface 598 which guides them out and down the main clothes chute 50. In addition to functioning in such a manner as a clothes collector. the inner edge of the portion 594 prevents clothes from sticking to the'lower wringer roll 66,

As the portion 592 of the top member 512 is in a raised position, as hereinabove described, the portion of the combination device 48 extending above the central part 50 of the drain shield also functions as a guard member, preventing the entrance of the operators hand directly into the wringer rolls. It is, therefore, obvious that when the portion 582 is in'a raised position the combination device 48 functions on the feeding side of the wringer as a guard for the operator's fingers and as a clothes feeder, whereas that portion of the combination device located on the opposite side of the wringer functions as a clothes collector and prevents such clothes wrapping on the lower roll.

- In addition, as the clothes are fed into and between the wringer rolls 66 and 68, the excess moisture which is squeezed out of the clothes, such as washing water or liquid, runs down the right side of the lower wringer roll onto the inner surface of the bottom member 514 of the combination device 48. As the water proceeds into the bottom member 514, it falls from the from wringer roll, contacting the upper surface 600 of the right-hand portion 602 of the lower member 514. As the water strikes the surface 600, it is conveyed inwardly and downwardly to the transversely slotted aperture 580 where it drains out of the combination device onto the water drain member 10.

It is, therefore, apparent that with the combination device rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3 and hereinabove described, the top surface 600 of the raised portion 602 of the lower member 514 functions as a water deflector, in addition to the hereinabove-mentioned functions of the combination device 48.

Should the lower wringer roll be rotated in an opposite or clockwise direction, the combination device 48 will, due to the friction engagement between the lower wringer drive shaft I86 and the split bearing 584, likewise be rotated in a clockwise direction until the ear 516 strikes the frame at 638, as shown in Fig. 6. With the combination device located in such a manner, the lefthand portion 594 of the upper member 512, as seen in Fig. 3 will be in a raised or feeding and guard position while the portion 592 will be in a lower or clothes collecting position. The top surface 598 of the portion 594 will then function as a clothes feeder permitting the clothes to be automatically fed to the wringer rolls, whereas the top surface 596 of the portion 592 will function as a clothes collector, preventing such clothes from wrapping around the wringer rolls. The raised portion 594 will also function as a guard member protecting the operator's fingers and preventing their entrance into the wringer rolls as hereinabove described. The top surface 604 of the left-hand portion 606 of the lower member 514 of the combination device 48 will then function as a water deflector directing the water being squeezed out of the moist clothes down through the transversely slotted aperture 580 and upon the water drain member 10 in a manner as hereinabove described.

It is, therefore, obvious that due to the cooperation of the collars 582 with the slotted orsplit sleeve bearing 5B4 upon the lower wringer shaft I86, such combination device 48 will automatically reverse its rotation depending upon the rotation of the wringer itself. It is further obvious that, with the combination device 48 rotated into the proper working position as hereinbefore described, such device will function simultaneously as a guard member, an automatic clothes feeding device, a clothes collector and a water deflector for deflecting the water upon the proper side of a fixed water drain member 19, and that with the reversal of rotation of the wringer such combination device 48 will function in a similar manner deflecting -'the water upon the opposite side of the stationary water drain member 10.

A modified combination water deflector device 49 may be built substantially as shown in Fig. 7, which comprises a plurality of elongated hollow quarter-cylinder members 608 and 6I0 which serve as the guard member, clothes feeder and clothes collector, and a separate independent rockably mounted water deflector member 6I2. The members 608 and 6I0 are separate integral pieces attached to the lower wringer roll shaft I88 by means of a plurality of collars (not shown), which in this instance are attached to the members 608 and 6H], substantially in a manner as hereinabove described. The member 608 is located about one side of the wringer roll, while the member 6I0 is located about the other side. The lower portions 508 and 6I0 are joined at the ends thereof by substantially U- shaped strap-type operating members 6I4. An elongated aperture GIS is thus positioned between the lower inner edges of the members 608 and 6I0. The rockably mounted drain member 8I2 is mounted upon suitable boss portions 634 protruding upwardly from the central portion of the drain member 10, or in any other suitable manner. The rockably mounter water deflector member 6I2 has an upstanding end portion 6I8 with a protuberance 620 located in the uppermost portion thereof to cooperate with the U-shaped members 6I4. The cooperation between the protuberance 620 and U-shaped member 6I4 results in the rockably mounted water deflector 6I2 rotating in an opposite direction to the main combination device. This action ensures that the moisture, from the clothes being run through the wringer, will always be automatically directed in the proper direction.

The members 608 and H0 forming the combination device 49 have upward extending portions 622 and 624, respectively, which function in a manner substantially as the portions 592 and 594 of the preferred device 48; that is, the portion 622 on the upper surface of the inclined plate 626 functions as a clothes feeder, while the outer surface of the portion 622 functions as a guard member, and at the same time, the portion 624 is lowered so that the upper surface 628 thereof functions as a clothes collector. The top inner surface of the lower portions of members 608 and 610, respectively, directs the water squeezed from the wet clothes downwardly and through the elongated aperture 6I6. As the water falls through the aperture 6I6, it strikes the oscillatable independent water deflector member 6I2 which automatically directs such water down the proper side of the water drain member 10.

It is, therefore, obvious that, inasmuch as the combination device 49 is operatively associated with the lower wringer shaft I86 in substantially the same manner as the combination device 48, such device will reverse its position with any change in rotation of the wringer rolls, substantially as hereinabove described. With the combination device 49 adapted to be rotated in such a manner, the combination device 49 will function simultaneously as a guard, clothes feeder and a clothes collector. In addition when the rockable water deflector member BIZ is operatively associated with such combination device, it is obvious that such drain member will assure the proper flow of the water down the drain member.

The locking device 5I operatively associated with the combination device 48 (see Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11), comprises a lever 100, a Y-shaped arm 102 which cooperates with the lever and the lower portion 514 of combination device 48. The lever or arm 100 is, in this instance, an elongated piece of sheet metal folded back so as to cooperate with the shaft I86 of the lower wringer roll. The arm 100 is operatively associated with the shaft I86 by being placed over and tightened against a split bearing 106 by means of a suitable screw 101. A resilient member 105 may be positioned between the head of the set screw and the arm 100 to produce a biasing action there between. This action permits the arm 100 to rotate with the shaft I86 and the split bearing 106 and permits the arm 100 to remain stationary while the shaft I86 and bearing 106 rotates.

The Y-shaped lever I02 is attached to the wringer frame by being rockably or rotatably attached by means of an angular bracket II4 to a protuberance II8 which is integral with the wringer frame. The arm I02 is attached to the bracket "4 by means of a suitable rivet II2, while the bracket "4 is rigidly attached to the protuberance II8 by means of a suitable screw H8. The Y-shaped arm I02 has a plurality of outwardly extending lugs I08, I09, H and III which extend substantially normal to the plane thereof. The lugs I08 and I09 are located at the upper end of the respective arms of the lever I02 and extend toward the protuberance H8 or away from the combination device 48. The lugs H0 and III are located substantially at the lower end of the arms of the lever I02 and extend inwardly or toward the combination device 48 to cooperate with such device 48 so as to limit its rotation, as hereinafter described.

The combination device 48 has an inwardly extending concavity I04 which is positioned substantially in the lower central portion of the combination device (see Figs. 8 and 9). The concavity I04 is adaptedto cooperate with the inwardly extending lugs H0 and III of the arm I02 to prevent any undesirable movement of the device 48 and to lock such device in either working position.

The arm I00 rotatably attached to the lower wringer drive shaft I88, as hereinabove described, is adapted to cooperate with the outwardly extending lugs I08 and I09: Assuming that the lower wringer roll is to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 9, such arm will move the lug I08 upwardly causing the arm I02 to be likewise rotated in a counterclockwise direction. This action causes the inwardly extending lug M0 to be raised or moved into the concavity I04, so as to limit the rotation of the device 48.

With the lower wringer rolls 88 rotating in a counterclockwise direction (see Fig. 9), the combination device 48, due to the friction drive between the lower wringer roll shaft I86 and sleeve 584, will also be rotated in a counterclockwise direction and the right portion, 592 thereof will be raised. The device 48 will then be prevented from rotating in a clockwise direction due to the cooperation of such device with the locking device The arm I00 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction with the roll shaft I88 and the arm I02 will thus be moved in a counterclockwise direction and the inwardly extending lug H0 will be moved up into the concavity 104. The cooperative action of arms I00 and I02 will thus maintain the lug IIO within the concavity I04 in the device 48.

It, therefore, follows that the inwardly extending lug IIO will remain within the concavity I04 as long as the lower wringer roll runs in a counterclockwise direction, and, that, due to such cooperation, the combination device 48 cannot be forced in a clockwise direction. It further follows that regardless of the load being fed in through the wringer and resting upon the raised portion 592 of the combination device 48 or the amount of downward pressure applied by an operator, the combination device 48 will be retained in its present position. In addition to being maintained in the present position during the operation of the wringer, such device will re- ,main in that position, permitting any water or moisture in the device 48 to run out and down outwardly extending lug I09, forcing the arm I02 in a clockwise direction. This cooperation would then cause the arm I02 to be rotated in a clockwise direction, causing the inwardly extending lug H0 to be removed from the concavity I04. The combination device 48, due to the frictional engagement with the split bearing 584' as hereinabove described, will then be free to rotatein a counterclockwise direction until it is stopped, due to its cooperation with the wringer frame l8. When the combination device is rotated in a clockwise direction to its second operating position, the cooperation of arm I00 with lug I09 and arm I02 will then cause the arm I02 to rotate a short distance further in a clockwise direction. The inwardly extending lug III would then extend into the concavity 104, locking the device in the new position.

It follows that due to the cooperative action between the arms I00. and I02, the combination device 48 will remain in its original position duri the combination device, which permits any water therein to drain out before the reversing action of the device takes place. It is, therefore, obvious that the combination device 48 will function as an automatic tilting clothes feeder and chute guard member and drain member and that due to the cooperation of the locking device therewith such combination device can only be rotated in response to the lower roll shaft and with a delayed action thereof.

Various further modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a reversible wringer having a frame and a plurality of rolls one above the other, an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device mounted about the lower roll only and movable with respect to the frame and lower roll embodying a portion on each side of the wringer, each of which at one time serves as a guard, clothes feeder and water deflector, and at another time as a collector for the clothes, and means whereby when the channel shaped device is operatively adjusted with the lower roll, the portion which is to serve as a guard, clothes feed and water deflector is elevated and the portion which is to serve as a clothes collector is lowered,

at least a part of the guard and feed portion exwater deflector and at another time as a clothes chute, and means whereby when the channel shaped device is operatively adjusted, the portion which is to serve as a guard and water deflector is elevated and the portion which is to serve as a clothes chute is lowered, at least a part of said water deflector portion extending in front of and below the lower roll.

3. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls therein, an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device coaxially mounted with respect to one of said rolls embodying a deflector portion which may be adjusted to direct the flow of water coming from the rolls and guard portions for protecting an operator from the rolls, and means whereby when the deflector is properly adjusted for a given rotation of the wringer the guard which is to protect the operator is elevated and positioned in front of said rolls, said deflector portion having at least a part thereof in front of and below said lower roll.

4. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a frame, an upper and lower roll therein, an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device coaxially mounted with respect to one of said rolls embodying a deflector portion which may be adjusted to direct the flow of water coming from the rolls in either direction and a clothes feeder for feeding clothes to the rolls, and means whereby when the deflector is properly adjusted for a given rotation of the rolls, the clothes feeder which is to feed clothes to the rolls is elevated with at least a part thereof extending in front of said rolls and having a surface which converges toward the lower roll to provide a feeding trough.

5. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls therein, an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device coaxially mounted with respect to one of said rolls embodying a deflector portion which may be adjusted to direct water coming from the rolls in either direction and clothes feeder portions for feeding clothes to the rolls, and means whereby when the deflector is operatively adjusted for a given rotation of the rolls, the clothes feeder portion which is to feed clothes to the rolls is elevated with at least a part thereof extending in front of said rolls and having a surface which converges toward the lower roll to provide a feeding trough, while the second clothes feeder portion is lowered to serve as a clothes collector for preventing clothes from sticking to the lower 'roll.

6. In a reversible wringer, a plurality of rolls,

an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device coaxially mounted with respect to one of said rolls comprising a portion on each side of the wringer, each of which at one time serves as a guard and at another time as a collector for clothes which prevents clothes from sticking to the lower roll, and means whereby when the device is adjusted in one position the portion which is to serve as a guard member is elevated and the portion which is to serve as a clothes collector is lowered, said guard member portion being positioned in front of the rolls, said guard member having a portion constituting the only clothes feeder in the wringer.

7. In a reversible wringer having a frame and a plurality of rolls one above the other, an elongated inwardly flanged channel shaped device mounted about the lower roll and movable with respect to the frame and lower roll embodying a portion on each side of the wringer, each of which at one time serves as a clothes feeder and guard member andat another time as a collector for clothes which prevents clothes from sticking to the lower roll, and means whereby when the device is adjusted in one position the portion which is to serve as a clothes feeder and guard member is elevated with at least a part thereof extending in front of the rolls and the portion which is to serve as a clothes collector is lowered, said clothes feeder constituting the only feeder in the wringer.

8. In a reversible wringer, a frame, a plurality of rolls one above the other, an elongated inwardly flanged channel shaped device embodying guard, water deflector, clothes collector and feeder portions positioned about and operatively associated with the lower roll and movable with respect to the lower roll and frame, and a locking device attached to the frame and operatively associated with the lower roll and channel shaped device for automatically locking the channel shaped device in either of two working positions.

9. In a reversible wringer, a frame, a plurality of rolls one above the other, an elongated inwardly flanged channel shaped device embodying guard, water deflector, clothes collector and feeder portions positioned about and operatively associated with the lower roll and movable with respect to the lower roll and frame, and a locking device attached to the frame and operatively associated with the lower roll and channel shaped device for automatically locking the channel shaped device in either of two working positions and for delaying the reversing action of the channel shaped device upon reversing the rotation of such lower roll.

10. In a reversible wringer having a frame and a plurality of rolls one above the other, an elongated inwardly flanged unitary channel shaped device mounted about the lower roll anly and movable with respect to the frame and lower roll embodying a portion on each side of the wringer, each of which at one time serves'as a guard, clothes feeder and water deflector, and at another time as a collector for the clothes, and means whereby when the channel shaped device is operatively adjusted, the portion which is to serve as a guard, clothes feed and'water deflector is elevated and the portion which is to serve as a clothes collector is lowered, the upper edge of each of said portions when serving as a guard lying in a plane which is substantially tangent to both rolls at the bite.

FRANK BRECKENRIDGE. 

